SGS, an international testing, inspection and certification company, has offered to inspect imported agricultural products entering the Philippines, according to Go Negosyo founder Jose Maria A. Concepcion III.
Concepcion said he met with SGS Vice President and Regional Operations Manager (Asia) George Bottomley last March 31 where the company made the offer to inspect farm imports at no cost to the government.
During the meeting, Concepcion said Bottomley discussed how the SGS system can help monitor “leakages” in trade and provide data analysis to increase trade revenues and opportunities for the Philippines.
Concepcion said the Swiss multinational firm plans on charging its fees to the exporters of agricultural products to the Philippines.
“SGS’s offer is to inspect all agricultural products coming into the Philippines, and it will now be the exporters who will have to pay to send their agricultural products here,” Concepcion said in a statement.
The Go Negosyo founder welcomed the offer of SGS, noting that any effort to help curb agricultural smuggling is “worth looking into.”
Concepcion also noted that SGS’s proposal will be referred to the relevant public and private sector bodies, such as the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) for Agriculture. The Go Negosyo founder is also PSAC’s Jobs Sector lead.
For his part, SGS’s Bottomley said there is a need to ensure the safety and quality of agricultural products in the country. According to Go Negosyo, Bottomley said the company can assist farmers and agribusinesses by providing testing and certification services.
Moreover, the company executive affirmed the commitment of SGS to promote sustainable agriculture practices through its programs and initiatives, Go Negosyo said.
The Swiss multinational firm operates locally as SGS Philippines, with its headquarters located in Makati. It has over 1,000 employees and a network of offices and laboratories located in Subic, Mariveles, Navotas, Batangas, Albay, Nueva Vizcaya, Masbate, Leyte, Surigao City, Davao City, and Cebu City.
Meanwhile, Concepcion said eradicating smuggling and the “undervaluation” of agricultural goods complements efforts to help strengthen local agriculture.
“It comes just in time as more companies have become interested in joining our KALAP initiative,” the Go Negosyo founder said.
The Kapatid Angat Lahat Program (KALAP) was initiated by Go Negosyo to help the country’s small farmers integrate into the value chain of large companies.
Under KALAP, large corporations will serve as “big brothers” to smallholder farmers by providing them access to mentorship, money and market.
Go Negosyo said KALAP program’s proponents have begun drafting its roadmap to implement “inclusive” business models for primary agricultural commodities in the country.